According to statistics released by the Defence and War Veterans ministry, 207,103 applicants registered for vetting in 2021, and 150,434 were vetted in 2022, leaving a balance of 56,669. The Defence and War Veterans minister Oppah Muchinguri said that 72% of veterans of all categories were vetted, implying that another 28% remained outstanding. However, there were some veterans who did not register in 2021 but turned up for the vetting exercise, while others registered but did not turn up for vetting.
The approved war veterans’ names will be published in a gazette for 30 days before they are accredited as liberation struggle veterans. War veterans enjoy benefits such as monthly allowances, payment of fees for their children, and medical aid, among others. The second republic will continue to support ongoing efforts by Veterans Investment Corporation to augment resources availed through the fiscus.
However, the financial resources for the vetting exercise were limited, and despite two extensions to the vetting period, the ministry could not ascertain the credentials of every aspiring applicant by the time the program ended. In 1997, war veterans pressured the late former President Robert Mugabe to pay them $50,000 gratuities and other benefits for their role in the liberation struggle, but war collaborators and non-combatant cadres were left out. It is worth noting that war veterans have been a vital cog in Zanu PF campaigns during past elections.
